The folks who lead north and south Fulton met Thursday to hear about some scenarios for major transit builds — the first step in a plan that could mean billions in spending over decades meant to relieve traffic and connect people to jobs.
Posts
Posted inLatest News
At last Council meeting, vote to merge pension boards
In their last action together, Atlanta City Council approved a bill to consolidate three city pension fund boards. Litigation may follow.
Posted inLatest News
Stonecrest to unveil guerrilla digital program on Wednesday to woo Amazon
The DeKalb County city of Stonecrest is doubling down Wednesday morning on its nationally recognized bid for Amazon’s second headquarters, with the unveiling of a guerilla campaign to deliver its marketing message directly to every mobile device in Amazon’s offices in Seattle.
Posted inLatest News
Bottoms names transition team leaders to help work on top hires
Mayor-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms announced her first appointments on Tuesday, naming the co-chairs of her transition team. One is the leader of Cousins Properties and the other is a top alumna of Coca-Cola Enterprises.
Posted inLatest News
Buckhead CID’s executive director refutes parts of story about Ga. 400 park project
Jim Durrett, executive director of the Buckhead Community Improvement District, strongly refuted Tuesday the notion that plans are afoot to tax condo owners in Buckhead to raise money for a planned park above Ga. 400, as reported in SaportaReport. Durrett also said the park’s financial model has been made public.
Posted inSubmitted Photos
Photo Pick: Goat Farm Open Studio – 12/9/17 by Kelly Jordan
Click to enlarge each photo:
Posted inColumns
Taxing condo owners in Buckhead to pay for a planned park to be built above Ga. 400?
As preparations advance for a park that’s to be built over Ga. 400 in Buckhead, indications are emerging that backers may ask the Georgia Legislature to authorize a new property tax on condo owners in Buckhead to help pay for the project – priced at $250 million and mounting.
Posted inColumns
Once again, a nation drops its jaws at Alabama, and Alabama doesn’t care
The shock and outrage expressed by outside observers over the Alabama Senate race is only the latest of many cases in which the state has played this role. But as Herman Melville observed 160 years ago, Alabamians are stoutly resistant to moral condemnation.
Posted inThought Leader, Transit
MARTA SAVES MILLIONS DURING BOND REFUNDING
The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) Board of Directors approved a resolution to refund $56.8 million of its series 2012A bonds, saving the Authority $6.5 million in net present value of future interest costs. MARTA’s average interest savings is $588,000 per year. MARTA moved quickly on this partial refunding to take advantage of favorable […]
Posted inMain Slider
Apparently, while at Fort Mac, he had some time on his hands
Leonard Wood was what some people would describe as an overachiever. Born in 1860, he lived for 67 years and, from the evidence of his life, it is clear that he was, at the very least, a motivated man. Wood began his adult life as a Harvard educated surgeon and he put that education to […]
Posted inEleanor Ringel Cater
‘The Shape of Water’ – flows with Guillermo del Toro’s ‘poetic’ style
It would be easy to joke around and say “The Shape of Water” is like “Mad Men” meets “The Creature From the Black Lagoon” with a “Dr. Strangelove” gloss.
But Guillermo del Toro’s sublime fairy tale romance/Cold War commentary is so much more than that. It’s an utter original and not really what we would expect from the director of such memorable fantasy-tinged horror films like “Pan’s Labyrinth” and “The Devil’s Backbone.”
Posted inGlobal Health & Development, MAP International, Thought Leader, Uncategorized
What Do Charity Watchdog Ratings Really Mean?
Thanksgiving and Giving Tuesday traditionally signals the kick-off of year-end giving season for non-profits. For many organizations, a third or more of their annual giving is received during this time. In fact, nearly 12 percent of all donations to charities occur in the last three days of the year. With 1.8 million non-profits raising their hand during […]
Posted inColumns
An open letter to Mayor-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms
Dear Mayor-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms,
Congratulations on being elected Atlanta’s 60th mayor!
I begin this letter with an outstretched hand to let you know I want you to be a successful mayor.
My hope is you will appreciate the role of the press – to question, to inform, to probe, to be skeptical, and yes, to be critical when necessary.
This hope is not limited to me. Ideally you will embrace people who think differently than you do, that you will treat the press and fellow public servants with respect, and that you will seek mutually-beneficial solutions while governing our city.
Posted inHigher Education, Thought Leader, Uncategorized
Georgia Avoided Fiscal Maneuvers to Close State Budget Gap, But Needs Improvement in Planning, New Study Shows
Georgia’s government, unlike others around the country, has succeeded in avoiding one-time fiscal maneuvers to close gaps in its state budget without moving special funds into general funds to pay for current expenditures. But as found in a new study conducted by the Volcker Alliance in partnership with the Center for State and Local Finance […]
Posted inLatest News
Census says commute time in metro Atlanta up 30 seconds in seven years, transit usage dips
The typical one-way commute time between home and work in metro Atlanta has grown by 30 seconds in the seven-year period ending in 2016, according to the latest report from the U.S Census Bureau. The proportion of workers who commuted by public transit declined during the period in Fulton and DeKalb counties, the core of MARTA’s service district, the report showed.
Posted inATL Business Chronicle
Column: Cousins’ Gellerstedt worried some Americans are losing hope
As published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on November 10, 2017
When Larry Gellerstedt, CEO of Cousins Properties Inc., received the American Jewish Committee’s National Human Relations Award on Oct. 30 at the Loew’s Atlanta Hotel, he sounded an alarm over the prejudice and hate in our society today.
Gellerstedt explained he is a lover of history – especially European history between World War I and World War II.
Posted inATL Business Chronicle
Column: Wesley Woods to honor three for their impact in metro Atlanta
As published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on November 3, 2017
Three prominent Georgians will be honored with the Heroes, Saints & Legends awards by the Foundation of Wesley Woods on April 19 at Flourish.
Civil rights leader the Rev. Joseph E. Lowery will be honored along with his late wife, Evelyn Lowery.
Also, philanthropist Merritt Steed Bond and attorney Edward “Jack” Hardin, a homeless advocate, also will be honored at the annual event that celebrates Georgians who have made significant contributions to the community through their leadership, service and philanthropy.
Posted inColumns
Smart cities for whom? Leveraging technology for an inclusive and just Atlanta
By Guest Columnist ALEX KARNER, formerly of Georgia Tech and now assistant professor in the School of Architecture at The University of Texas at Austin, with JENNIFER HIRSCH, ROBERT ROSENBERGER, and JESSE WOO, of the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Atlanta is one of many cities across the country that is increasingly adopting “smart cities” technologies. These are usually internet-connected sensors that gather data about the environment. Common examples include traffic signals that monitor intersections for accidents, trash cans that alert sanitation workers when they’re full, or air quality monitors that send an alert when pollution levels are unsafe.
